RESIDENTS in a Newport community kicked up a stink after gallons of raw sewage was pumped into an open reen near their homes.

People living in Lliswerry were shocked when filthy water started flowing through the reen last week, causing what they described as an "unbearable stench."

It is the second time in two years the reen has filled with sewage.

In 2005 Welsh Water blamed a blockage in the system, and now residents are demanding to know what has gone wrong this time.

Paul Gray's home in Pear Tree Lane backs onto the reen, and the 40-year-old father of four is furious it has happened again.

He said "What sort of place are we living in when raw sewage is pumped through a housing estate?

"All over this beautiful weekend we have been unable to sit out in the garden because of it."

Mr Gray, who runs his own online furniture shop, and his wife Deborah, a nurse and health visitor, were concerned about the health of their four children, especially two-year-old Elin.

He said: "This must be a public health risk.

"The reen is full of human faeces and sanitary products, and the smell leaves nothing to the imagination."

His neighbour Judith Williams said: "I couldn't sit outside because of the smell. You go out there and all of a sudden the stench hits you. I'm really annoyed it's happened again."

A spokeswoman for Dwr Cymru Welsh Water said they are aware of the situation in Lliswerry.

"A team has been dispatched to clear the site and investigate the cause of the discharge," she said.